Welcome, pale primrose

It was lovely to see this primrose which has just opened in our front garden, shyly bowing its head. Even though it’s not perfect, I managed to get a better shot of it than all the nearby hellebores, which stubbornly face completely downwards and are impossible to photograph without resorting to trickery to make the sepals face the camera and show the fascinating and beautiful stamens enclosed therein.

A quiet day today, as Smithers’ eye has been troubling him quite a bit. We did, however, manage to walk to the Atrium for a cup of coffee this morning, and chat with lots of friends, who were all delighted to see him.


Welcome, pale primrose! starting up between
Dead matted leaves of ash and oak, that strew
The every lawn, the wood, and spinney through,
Mid creeping moss and ivy's darker green;
How much thy presence beautifies the ground:
How sweet thy modest, unaffected pride
Glows on the sunny bank, and wood's warm side.
And where thy fairy flowers in groups are found,
The school-boy roams enchantedly along,
Plucking the fairest with a rude delight:
While the meek shepherd stops his simple song,
To gaze a moment on the pleasing sight;
O'erjoyed to see the flowers that truly bring
The welcome news of sweet returning Spring.


John Clare (1793-1864)